Job Search with Richard Blazevich

by Hayley Reardon, president SMU PRSSA

Richard Blazevich speaks to PRSSA

Richard Blazevich, a corporate recruiter for PepsiCo, career coach and author, discussed all things job search at a recent PRSSA event. Blazevich detailed exactly what it takes for students to get past HR computers, interview and land the job they target.

Blazevich is teaching an SMU GO (formerly CAPE) course on “Mastering the Job Search” in February on the main campus.

SMU GO Class on Job Hunting

Learn how to prepare your job hunting strategy, customize your resume, write compelling cover letters, and nail your interviews. This class includes step-by-step instructions for mastering the job search so you can get the job you want.

Class Details

Cost: Discounted to $99 for current SMU Students

Four Tuesday Evening Classes, 7pm–8:30pm, February 5–26, 2019

For more information: Visit GO.SMU.edu and search BMK610 or click here.

Six Important Strategies

Blazevich, when he visited with PRSSA students, revealed six of some of the most important strategies for landing an internship or job.

1. Form an interview group

Throughout his presentation, Blazevich stressed the importance of forming an interview group. This group should consist of 3 or 4 people that you enjoy spending time with, and who you know will give you honest, constructive feedback. He reiterated that you should spend 2 to 3 hours a week preparing for interviews. Having a group that you can rely on will ultimately advance you in the interview process and put you ahead of others applying to the same positions.

2. Build a job strategy

After forming an interview group, you must begin building your job strategy. The easy part is identifying your objectives and what you are hoping to get out of a position. The difficult part is listing out your options and finding companies that match your objectives. He suggested that students leverage the resources offered in the career development office.

3. Find a job you want

First, apply for jobs with descriptions that align with your passions and career goals. Next, segment the jobs that you found into top, second, and third tiers. The top tier should contain jobs that require duties that you want to do and companies that have the best reputation and culture. The second tier is a backup if you don’t get a job in your first tier. The third tier contains safety positions; he compared applying to third tier positions to applying to the safety schools for college.

4. Customize resumefor each position

Your resume should include your experience first, and education second. Experience should align with the job description and include key words from the post. Blazevich suggests adding an interests section to the bottom of your resume to illustrate activities that you are passionate about. The interests should include activities that show your persistence.

5. Interviewpreparation

If the previous steps landed you an interview, congratulations! When preparing for your interview, have answers ready for common questions. The interviewer will typically begin by asking “tell me about yourself” or “walk me through your resume.” You should phrase your answer through the PEN acronym. First, explain your passion and how it relates to the job position to which you are applying. Next, describe 2–3 experiences that illustrate why you are an excellent candidate for the position. Finally, discuss what you are hoping to accomplish next.

6. Follow Up

Within 24 hours of an interview, you should send an email thanking the interviewer for their time. In the email, explain how excited you are by the possibility to work for their company and ask for follow up steps to the process. After the email is sent write a hand-written thank you note including something specific that you discussed in the interview. By taking the time to send both an email and hand-written letter, you immediately stand apart from other candidates for the position.

Richard Blazevich is the author of two books about building job skills: Interview Prep Playbook and Amazing Interview Answers. He has 18 years of experience recruiting marketing employees for PepsiCo, and he leads interviewing workshops at some of the top universities in the United States.

For more information: Visit GO.SMU.edu and search BMK610 or click here.